Beauty is More Than Appearance

Beauty is not just your appearance. It is who you are. Are you kind? Or are you constantly finding fault in others or things? Are you compassionate? Or do you always have to have a better, harder story? Are you a good listener? Or are you thinking about other things when people speak to you? I am finding that beauty is being lost. We are giving our energy, love, emotions, kindness, and compassion to our smart phones.

My husband and I went on a date in a full restaurant with a 45 minute wait for dinner. While in the restaurant finally seated, we had a great time talking, relating, and being together. Then I looked around the room. With about 12 tables and booths in my view, we counted little more than half were on their phones. Thinking, "Let's give them the benefit of the doubt. They were probably on their phones because their meals were ending." I checked and counted the room again. This time nearly two-thirds of the tables were on their cell phones. WHAT?!?

I understand the fascination with our smart phones. Instant information on our finger tips and literally in the palm of our hand. We can play our favorite music, look up how to build just about anything, order the latest clothing, even look up how to bake your favorite cookies and get 50 different recipes. I appreciate the ability to mass communicate with such a small device.

The smart phones are not the problem, we are! We are not giving ourselves limits. We are constantly walking around with blue face syndrome. Blue face syndrome is too much time on your cell phone. Think about it. The head hangs low; we are constantly frowning; and the reflection from our smart devise is blue. Did you know the city put the word LOOK on the sidewalk to prevent people from just crossing the street without looking because their face was planted in a smart phone. Seriously, it is that bad.

We need to fix ourselves. We need to learn to talk face to face again. Our hearts, heads, and souls need other human contact. If you are alone at dinner, then pull out your smart phone and get things done. Answer emails, check Facebook, research something. But if you are with another person who is sitting or standing in front of you, focus on them. The person on the phone can wait. Teach your children to behave in the store without a video game or movie. Let them use their own imagination. We need to set boundaries. There needs to be etiquette, otherwise our children and our children's children will get more and more withdrawn.

Are you beautiful? Do you believe in yourself and others? Do you put your smart phone down and give energy to those around you? Stop blue face and remember true beauty starts with a smile.

(This content is part of our Vintage Collection)